Core Maths FAQs

Introduction to Core Maths

Core Maths is designed for post 16 students who have achieved grade C* or above in GCSE Maths, but who aren’t intending to study AS or A Level Maths.

They enable learners to strengthen and develop the mathematical knowledge and skills they have learnt at GCSE so that they can apply them to the problems that they will encounter in their other level 3 courses, further study, life and employment.

Core Maths qualifications are designed to be the same size as an AS (at least 180 guided learning hours) and delivered over two years so that learners have both, continuous maths study up to the age of 18 and support for other level 3 qualifications which have a mathematical or statistical requirement.

Centres can opt to deliver them over one year, but they should be aware that the examination dates fall early in the exam series (usually in week 1 and 2).

Both of our Core Maths qualifications place emphasis on mathematical and statistical problem solving and the practical application of maths skills. The original vision for Core Maths was to address the needs of the following students:

Students taking level 3 courses, for whom GCE Mathematics is not appropriate

Students who need support for level 3 or HE

Students who need to continue with some mathematics because they intend at some stage to enter a teacher training or health professional training course

Students who do not intend to continue in full-time education and will be moving on to do apprenticeships or straight into employment.

We felt that a single Core Maths qualification could not meet the needs of all the students in this target group. As a result we have a choice of two qualifications with a common component. One is more statistical making it more suitable for academic students of sciences and social sciences. The other is more appropriate for students following a less specialised study path, focusing on everyday maths problems.

No two students are identical, and having two specifications allows us to produce qualifications that offer choice to centres in order to deliver the course that suits the particular needs of their students.

Component 01, Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning, is common to both specifications. Component 02 offers students the choice of a more statistical component of study or a more general problem solving option.

Pre-release material will be specific to certain examination questions, allowing learners to become familiar with particular contexts that will then be used for authentic problem solving.

Published in mid-March for the exam in June of that year. Available to download from Interchange.

Critical Maths (H866/02)

Statistical Problem Solving (H867/02)

Pre-release material will be a large data set that can be used as teaching material throughout the course. In the examination it will be assumed that learners are familiar with the contexts covered by this data set. Half of the marks in the examination will be on questions that are based on the pre-release data set.

Published in electronic form in September. Available to download from the qualification page.

Example: Pre-release material for the June 2018 exam series will be published in September 2016.

A printed copy of the pre-release material will be provided in the exam.

Some centres will teach component 01 first and then decide which pathway to take; Critical Maths or Statistical Problem Solving. Alternatively, some centres will see more benefit in teaching component 01 and 02 in tandem, deciding which of the Level 3 Certificates is most appropriate for their cohort from the outset.

There are links in content between components 01 and 02 and as both components are assessed at the end of the course it may be more advantageous to teach both components in parallel.

The 'curriculum planners' or schemes of work available on the OCR Core Maths qualification web pages are for the individual components. There are qualification schemes of work, combining delivery of both components on the MEI Integral website.

Yes. Learners are expected to be able to use a range of mathematical methods and techniques from the underlined and bold content of GCSE Maths (Foundation and Higher content) to find solutions to mathematical and non-mathematical problems.

Only a minimum of 20% of the overall assessment is based on more challenging mathematical concepts and techniques drawn from beyond GCSE.

The overall qualification grade is calculated by adding together the marks for the first component (IQR) and their weighted marks for the second component to give their total weighted mark. Component 02 is scaled by a factor of 1.2.

This total weighted mark is then compared to the qualification level grade boundaries for the relevant exam series to determine the learner’s overall qualification grade.

There is an expectation that students have used technology during their studies, including spreadsheets and scientific or graphical calculators. Component 01 will specifically assess the use of spreadsheets and spreadsheet formulae. Questions may include printouts from spreadsheets which learners will need to complete or interpret.

The use of calculators (scientific or graphical) will be assessed. Learners will be expected to decide when it is appropriate to use a calculator, recognising that calculations in authentic contexts are sometimes too complicated to be done without the use of a calculator.

No, both scientific and graphical calculators are allowed in the exams. However, you may find it useful to make use of graphical calculators or graphing software in the teaching of some of the content in the classroom.

Resources and support

A large resource package has been developed by MEI who worked with OCR on the development of both of the Core Maths qualifications. MEI have produced an extensive range of high quality resources tailored to the needs of learners, with a focus on supporting creative teaching approaches and progression for both of the Core Maths qualifications. MEI’s resources are continually being added to, and you can access these resources by logging directly into the secure part of the MEI Integral website.

You will first need to complete the online subscription form to gain access to these free resources. Once logged on, you will be able to download:

Schemes of work – either for individual components of each Level 3 Certificate or consolidated qualification versions for delivering both components together

MEI are starting work on a textbook – initially the book will be written a chapter at a time and chapters will be uploaded online as a pdf to the Integral Core Maths resources. Eventually it may be published.

You can also download our free master class videos from the CPD Hub. Our master class videos are filmed in the classroom, delivered by teachers and provide great lesson ideas. Alternatively, you can also watch a selection of these videos on our OCR Core Maths YouTube playlist.

June 2016 question papers are hosted securely on Interchange. Access to OCR Interchange is required to download these, meaning teachers are able to access them and students cannot. Please speak to your Exams Officer if you do not have an OCR Interchange log in.

No grade boundaries have been provided for the SAMs or the practice papers produced by MEI as grade boundaries are only valid when set by analysing the results of a full entry cohort who have completed the course against their prior attainment.

Grade boundaries are set by awarding bodies in collaboration with Ofqual, based on statistics including previous cohorts' performance in that qualification and on results data from candidates sitting the paper. As this information was not available, grade boundaries could not be determined confidently and attempts to set them could be more misleading than helpful.

However, when MEI designed the practice papers they worked on similar proportions to those used in AS mathematics so 40% would be an E and every 10% would add a grade, 50% (D), 60%(C) 70%(B), and 80%(A). Grade boundaries for the June 2016 series are provided on the OCR website.

Further information on June 2016 grade boundaries can be found in the document below.